SUMMARY: One of the worst culprits of dry mouth is sleeping with your mouth open, which can be beat with just a little practice!

Posted: November 30, 2012

Some people may think that suffering from dry mouth isn’t a huge issue, but it can cause a domino effect in your mouth. From bad breath to tooth decay, the lack of saliva can have a lasting impact on your mouth. Not producing enough saliva can also prevent you from tasting your food properly, swallowing or chewing. You may experience an achy mouth, oral sores, cracked lips and an overall dry feeling.

One of the most common causes of dry mouth is sleeping with your mouth open. Typically, people who are healthy will not breathe through their mouth at all, but if you are sick or suffer from allergies, it might be more challenging to breathe through your nose. Mouth breathing is actually very bad for you because it increases the effort it takes to breathe. Luckily, there are several easy ways to train yourself to take in air through your nose instead.

Focus on breathing If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, you know that breathing through your nose is very important. Paying attention to your breath has many good benefits for your body, including stress and anxiety reduction. If you start to focus on your breathing during the day, you’ll begin to train your body to do the same while sleeping. You can try one exercise that is as simple as inhaling and exhaling deeply through the mouth a few times.

Sleep in a comfy environment It seems obvious, but there are several conditions that can promote mouth breathing at night. For example, keeping a clean bedroom is really important. If there is a lot of dust accumulating in your room, that’s what you’re breathing in while you sleep. You should maintain a regular schedule of cleaning bed sheets and pillowcases, and try to clear out clutter that collects dust like newspapers and books. If you are worried about the air quality in your room, purchasing an air purifier may help clean out the air and make it easier to breathe - this may be especially important if you live in an old apartment or dorm room.

Although it may seem like a stretch that your sleeping conditions can lead to bad breath, it is very possible. When your mouth doesn’t have enough saliva to wash away the bacteria, it builds up and creates an unpleasant smell. Dry mouth from open mouth breathing can be easily cured, and you may just notice a difference in the way you feel every day.